To Wrap or not wrap your Model X

[CasuaL]

I'd absolutely wrap mine... I'm in love with matte dark grey.

 

[bobbykansara]

I live in the frozen tundra of Minnesota where it's winter basically 9 months out of the year. With these wraps, are the cars less apt to hold onto winter road grime? And do the wraps make it easier to clean/wash the car and have that "freshly detailed" look? There's clearly a difference between getting your car detailed, and simply running the car through the gas station car wash.

 

[paintpolisher]

This is a MS w 10k miles, area fwd of rear wheel well behind rear door. this is why our MS has a full car Suntek and our X will have the same. OptiCoat Pro Plus makes the film much easier to clean.

 

[bobbykansara]

For those that are choosing to wrap, how did you decide which wrap(s) to go with? What are the differences between the XPEL (which seems more popular here) vs. Opticoat (seems 2nd place in popularity) vs. other products on the market?

 

[paintpolisher]

For those that are choosing to wrap, how did you decide which wrap(s) to go with? What are the differences between the XPEL (which seems more popular here) vs. Opticoat (seems 2nd place in popularity) vs. other products on the market?

Xpel ultimate or Suntek protects against rock chips and road rash.

OptiCoat Pro Plus protects against environmental fallout and makes your paint and film easier to wash.

Both can be done together.

 

[Mark Z]

For those that are choosing to wrap, how did you decide which wrap(s) to go with? What are the differences between the XPEL (which seems more popular here) vs. Opticoat (seems 2nd place in popularity) vs. other products on the market?

What helped me decide between the thicker XPEL and the slightly thinner Suntek wrap was the quality of the reflections on the vehicle. If you want a more mirror like finish, then Suntek is a good choice. I was fortunate to have the detailer to apply a test section on the hood of both products. By seeing reflective images in the wrap, move your head and notice any changes in the reflective image. XPEL can pixelate slightly compared with the more stable image in the Suntek. If you need the most protection for your driving conditions, then XPEL is a good choice.

 

[Xminus6]

For those that are choosing to wrap, how did you decide which wrap(s) to go with? What are the differences between the XPEL (which seems more popular here) vs. Opticoat (seems 2nd place in popularity) vs. other products on the market?

Those two products are not the same and are not used for the same purposes. XPEL is a layer of clear material wrapped onto the car's surfaces. If you've ever seen a flexible screen protector for a smart phone, it's essentially that for your whole car. Optical is a very thing ceramic coating that is wiped on and the residual is wiped off. Think of it as a very very durable car wax. When people do both, they apply the XPEL or Suntek, then have the whole car coated in Opticoat (or other ceramic coating) to protect the XPEL.

 

[ernies]

Another product which some applicators find to be comparable and some say better is Ceramic Pro....here are some videos: http://www.ceramicproamericas.com/videos/ By the way, no skin in the game. Detailers are married to their choices...we do not have to be. Agree with Mark on the XPEL vs Suntek...they are both good products. However, if you put on the nanocoating, they will both look great. In our northwest market we get lots of sand and large grit due to road sanding. Then there is the occasional 5/8" rock thrown out of the treads of cars/pickups which travel gravel roads in their continuing quest to enhance the windshield repair/replace industry. Hence my choice of XPEL and the convenience of an applicator down the street.

What helped me decide between the thicker XPEL and the slightly thinner Suntek wrap was the quality of the reflections on the vehicle. If you want a more mirror like finish, then Suntek is a good choice. I was fortunate to have the detailer to apply a test section on the hood of both products. By seeing reflective images in the wrap, move your head and notice any changes in the reflective image. XPEL can pixelate slightly compared with the more stable image in the Suntek. If you need the most protection for your driving conditions, then XPEL is a good choice.

- - - Updated - - -

Oh...don't misconstrue that I will be applying XPEL to the windshield. Other than multiple coats of clear finish like Optimum don't think there is a film you can or should put on. A detailer who is legitimate will tell you no.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Tesla coats the raw aluminum body panels with a high tech protective coating to protect it from corrosion.
They then put a primer on it as a protective before painting.
They then put on a high tech color coat to protect the layers below.
Then they put a protective and gloss enhancing clear coat over the color layer.
Then the finish is hand and buffer sanded and polished to a showroom finish.

Then comes the aftermarket. They buff the showroom finish to a car show luster.
Then they apply either a polish and protective wax or high tech ceramic coating to make it shine better and add protection
Then they may plastic wrap the entire thing for even more protection.
Then they put a high tech ceramic (which needs professional prep and installation as well as powered buffers) coating over all that stuff.

Owners like especially shiny cars and will go to great lengths to maintain that gloss and nick free finish.

Color changes and additional protection is also available with vinyl wraps.

All this stuff has varying prices due to the quality and talent of the applicator.

This level of show car shine used to be relegated to competitive displays, but now has become more commonplace on street driven cars.

All this takes time and money. Everybody has priorities.

 

[aesculus]

Then the finish is hand and buffer sanded and polished to a showroom finish.

Are you sure about this step? My understanding after seeing a number of X's is that this is not done unless there are flaws in the paint. As the painting has been getting better there seems to be even less of this being done.

It would be interesting to see a poll of owners to see if their cars were sanded and polished but I fear most would not be able to tell so the data would be skewed.

 

[Mark Z]

...It would be interesting to see a poll of owners to see if their cars were sanded and polished but I fear most would not be able to tell so the data would be skewed.

As I posted in another thread, my Model X had to be sanded to remove the top layer of defective clear coat that prevented the wrap from being installed without bumps. Tests with both ZPEL and Suntek looked like grains of sand were under the wrap, but once it was sanded, the same material was perfect.

My situation was unusual. The teenage VIN needed help, but rather than having it repainted, the answer was paint correction and the extra sanding where needed for the wrap.

 

[madodel]

As I posted in another thread, my Model X had to be sanded to remove the top layer of defective clear coat that prevented the wrap from being installed without bumps. Tests with both ZPEL and Suntek looked like grains of sand were under the wrap, but once it was sanded, the same material was perfect.

My situation was unusual. The teenage VIN needed help, but rather than having it repainted, the answer was paint correction and the extra sanding where needed for the wrap.

I'd like to thank you and others here for all the advice and experience shared on this forum. It has been an education for someone who isn't a car guy.

 

[Xmama]

Has anyone in Salt Lake had their Model X wrapped?

 

[Darryl]

When taking delivery of my Model X today I ask my DS about wrapping/coating. The DS recommended a full front wrap followed by a complete coating of a product like OptiCoat. The DS says the process Tesla uses for painting looks great but is not hard. So you end up with chipped paint. The DS says if this was their car this is what they would do.

I had already arranged for our detailer to pick our car up directly from Tesla and do a wash, clay bar, paint correction, buffing, Xpel wrap and Quartz coating along with interior work.

As info Xpel now has kits for the seat backs. The price of the kit is around $600 plus installation.

When looking for a detailer here are some recommendations:

Ask for current references and make sure to call and discuss the quality of the work along with reliability. Make sure you plan on getting similar type work done

Make sure the detailer are insured and bonded and ask for proof of insurance

Find out what security they have in place and find out if your call will be garaged the whole time.

Find out how many Tesla's they have done in the past.

If anyone is looking for a great person in the Orlando area send me a private email and
I will provide the information.

 

[ecrsail]

I also have been researching films & wraps and related paint protection products for my X that is expected to arrive later this month. As of March 2016, I'm finding that the new ClearGuard Nano is preferred over Xpel Ultimate if clarity is of top concern. The ClearGuard Nano is a relatively new product:

Prestige ClearGuard Nanoâ„¢ - Prestige Film Technologies

For nano coats, the Modesta family seems to be the most recommended products:

Nano-Titanium Glass Coating - Modesta

If anyone has opinions on these products, I would like to hear them!

As has been noted many times here and in other threads, the experience of your installer is as important (probably more so) than the product you install.

 

[ecrsail]

For the curious, I did have my X wrapped as described above. Tim at Adonis Detail in Carlsbad CA did a wonderful job and recently posted a detailed write-up with pictures here.

If you are thinking of having your X wrapped and live in the greater San Diego or Orange county area, give Tim a shout!

--Eric

 

[Tim@adonisdetail]

I live in the frozen tundra of Minnesota where it's winter basically 9 months out of the year. With these wraps, are the cars less apt to hold onto winter road grime? And do the wraps make it easier to clean/wash the car and have that "freshly detailed" look? There's clearly a difference between getting your car detailed, and simply running the car through the gas station car wash.

Theres a couple things to consider for this, most important is protection. As you know the winter time is very aggressive on the vehicles exterior surfaces, salt and sand used on the roads for ice control can severely degrade and pitt the surfaces of your vehicle. Clear bra is going to be the sacrificial layer on top of your vehicles surface helping to prevent the damage an prematurely age your vehicle. Clear bra is not intended to enhance or add easier maintenance to your vehicle, although there is a film now that does both, "ClearGuard Nano".

For the sole performance of enhanced looks and easier maintenance "Nano Coatings" are the way to go. They add extreme hydrophobic properties and increased gloss and shine. We use the Modesta Glass Coating line almost excessively due to its unbeatable performance.

What helped me decide between the thicker XPEL and the slightly thinner Suntek wrap was the quality of the reflections on the vehicle. If you want a more mirror like finish, then Suntek is a good choice. I was fortunate to have the detailer to apply a test section on the hood of both products. By seeing reflective images in the wrap, move your head and notice any changes in the reflective image. XPEL can pixelate slightly compared with the more stable image in the Suntek. If you need the most protection for your driving conditions, then XPEL is a good choice.

This is a very hard decision to make between each, as you are correct in that Xpel can potentially add slightly more protection than the "thinner" SunTek PPF-C film. Xpel does have a slight distortion in comparison.

We just started using a new film that offers even higher clarity than SunTek and is thicker than Xpel. How are you liking the Xpel on your X? Now that it has been a few months.

Are you sure about this step? My understanding after seeing a number of X's is that this is not done unless there are flaws in the paint. As the painting has been getting better there seems to be even less of this being done.

It would be interesting to see a poll of owners to see if their cars were sanded and polished but I fear most would not be able to tell so the data would be skewed.

Whether it be a six figure super car or a Honda there is one thing in common and that is the potential for factory paint defects. The paint facility of any car factory is the bottleneck, as there is no way to really speed up this process without drastically reducing quality. In addition Tesla's are painted in California in which they have to abide by stricter VOC's and emissions. General rule of thumb is that Tesla's paint finishes are of very high quality, but as with any out maker sometimes a car slips through the cracks, when this is the case the areas are easily fixable and Tesla does a better job at taking care of their clients than any other automaker I've seen thus far.

Has anyone in Salt Lake had their Model X wrapped?

Hi Xmama, contact my friends at Luxe Auto Spa, they work directly with Tesla and have wrapped several!

Can you tell the difference between the panels that are wrapped and the panels that are not wrapped?

As I said above, the point of a wrap is not enhancement but protection. With that said a good installer should be able to do an install that is "virtually" undetectable. Oftentimes I have clients ask me to show them where we wrapped the film around the edges because they can't tell its on their car.

For the curious, I did have my X wrapped as described above. Tim at Adonis Detail in Carlsbad CA did a wonderful job and recently posted a detailed write-up with pictures here.

If you are thinking of having your X wrapped and live in the greater San Diego or Orange county area, give Tim a shout!

--Eric

Thank you very much for your business Eric, it was a pleasure working on your X. Glad we were able to give your vehicle the protection and peace of mind it deserves.

Hope to see you again soon! In the meantime enjoy

 

[Mark Z]

...How are you liking the Xpel on your X? Now that it has been a few months...

The material looks great. Since the Model X has not been driven far, I cannot provide feedback about visual appearance after possible damage.

Because of the sanding of the hood to remove clear coat imperfections before application, the final results are impressive to all who examine the quality.

 

[Tim@adonisdetail]

The material looks great. Since the Model X has not been driven far, I cannot provide feedback about visual appearance after possible damage.

Because of the sanding of the hood to remove clear coat imperfections before application, the final results are impressive to all who examine the quality.

Glad to hear, Mark! A top notch installation and quality film product can't be beat. All goes well and it'll continue to look that way for many many years to come.

 

[ecrsail]

For the sole performance of enhanced looks and easier maintenance "Nano Coatings" are the way to go. They add extreme hydrophobic properties and increased gloss and shine. We use the Modesta Glass Coating line almost excessively due to its unbeatable performance.

Here's a visual demonstration of the extreme hydrophobic properties of Modesta BP-04 which Tim installed on my Model X. Today is one of those rare rainy days in San Diego....